Improvement in machines for punching sheets of metal



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

RITER & FARQUHAR.

Metal Punch.

Patented Oct. 9. 1866.

N. PETERS. Fhcln-Lilhugmp RITER & FARQUHARI 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Metal Punch.

No. 58,676. Patented Oct: 9, 1866 M m am N. FEIERS, mmwumo mw. Washington. a. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

J. M. RlTEPt AND L. J. FARQUHAR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR PUNCHING SHEETS OF METAL.

Specification fo'iniing part of Letters Patent No. 58,676, dated October 9, 1866.

chine with the rack-table and plate holder or frame removed. Fig. 2 is'a side view or elevation of Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 is a plan of the racktablc inverted, so as to show the under side. Fig. 4 is a plan of the adjustable frame or plate holder with the an gle-plate attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a top view of the machine with the rack-table and adjustable frame in place, and with those parts of the machine situate above the horizontal line at w in Fig. 6 removed in orderto exhibit parts which would otherwise be concealed. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the machine through a" 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is arepresentation of the angleplate detached and the an gle irons inverted.

In all the foregoing figures like letters of reference denote similar parts.

Fig. 8 represents a piece of boilerplate punched by our machine.

Our machine is designed for the punching of metallic plates or making rivet-holes therein 5 and our invention has reference, not to themachineryby which the operation of punching is performed, but to the means employed for moving the plate under the punch between it'sf successive strokes, so as to make the rivetholes at any required distance apart and either in a straight or curved line.

Although our machine is adapted to the punching of rivetholes with uniform spaces between them, it is also capable, by a simple adjustment, of punching the rivet-holes at both ends of a boiler-plate, one end of which is shorter than the other, at such exact relative distances apart and on such a curved line as that when the plates are formed into tapering cylinders the holes at the smaller end of one such cylinder shall exactly coincide with the holes in the larger end of another similar cylinder when the smaller is inserted into the larger.

Boilers and other cylinders made of several pieces of plate metal are formed by making a number of slightly-tapering cylinders or lrollow truncated cones, the degree of taper being equal to twice the thickness of the plates of which they are constructed, so that the small end of one will just enter and fit into the large end of another, and thus a boiler or other cylinder is made of average uniform diameter throughout. Each plate, however, will necessarily be wider at one end than at the other before they are bent round and united at the edges, and the contour of the ends of the plates will be a slightly-curved line, in order that the ends of the tapering cylinder made therefrom may be in a plane at right angles to the axis of the cylinder and as there must be the same number of rivetholes at the edge of the small end of each tapering cylinder as at the large end of the other tapering cylinder into which it is to be titted, the holes in one must be closer together than in the other. The work of laying out the points at which the holes are to be punched has been heretofore done by hand, and is tedious and troublesome, and it is the performance of this operation by machinery which is the peculiar feature of our invention.

In Fig. 6 a piece of boiler-plate is represent ed; but in order to illustrate more easily our invention, the degree of curvature of the ends of the plate and their difference of length is exaggerated.

The difference in length of the edge of the plate at the two ends depends upon the thickness of the plate of metal. In practice this difference, measured on the are or curved edge of the plate, is made equal to six times the thickness of the. plate of metal.

The degree of curvature give to the plate at each end is ascertained by dividing the length of the end of the plate by sixty, which gives the versed sine of the arc of curvature. Thus, by reference to Fig. 8, if the circumference of boiler to be made, or the length of the are from a to 11*, be thirty-six inches, the versed sine,

c" d of the are will be sixtenths of an inch;

and if the thickness of the plate of iron be onehalf an inch, the length of the are a b will be (6 X g three inches greater than the length of the are e f.

To enable others skilled in the art to make use of our invention, we will proceed to (16 scribe the construction and operation of our machine.

The frame of the machine consists of two longitudinal sides pieces, A A, connected together at intervals by cross-piecesB, and supported on legs. At one side of the machine, midway from either end, is an upright frame, 0, which carries the punch ct, by which the rivet holes in the boiler-plate are punched; and projecting from the frame 0, and beneath the punch a, is a strongly-supported bracket, 1), on which the edge of the plate to be punched rests. The punch may be constructed and operated in any ordinary manner, and needs no further description.

The side pieces A A are grooved longitudi nally on their upper surface to receive the V- shaped rails c, projecting from the under side of the rack-table D, which is placed upon the frame A, and travels from one end of the machine to the other.

Across the machine, midway from either end, is a horizontal shaft, (1, having its bearings in the side pieces A A. On this shaft is a cog-wheel, c, which gears into the cogteeth or rack 6, attached to one side of the rack-table D, by means of which the rack-table is moved along the frame A A. The cog-wheel 0 also gears into a pinion, j, on the shaft f, which is situate below the shaft 01, and to which the hand-wheel g is attached.

E is the diagonal rack, by means of which the distance between the rivet-holes in the plate is adjusted and determined. It is a long straight bar, which rests upon the cross-pieces B B, between the side pieces A A of the frame. It is furnished with rack-teeth i, placed at uniform distance apart. The rack-teeth form inclined planes, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to raise the ratchet h, which is pivoted to the under side of the rack-table D, (see Fig. 3,) as the table advances, and allow it to pass forward, the ratchet h dropping down as it passes each tooth, and preventing the rack-table from receding, thus indicating the point at which the Y hole is to be punched in the plate of iron.

The diagonal rack E is hinged at one end to an adjustable block, 70, which is situate near the rear end of the machine, close to one of the side pieces A. The block it has a projection at one side, which passes through a slot,

0, in the frame A, the slot being long enough to allow the block 7.; to be adjusted by means of a screw-shaft, I, connected with the under side of the block 70, and working in a nut or female screwin the cross-piece B" of the frame, so that by turning the crank of the shaft lthe block is moved lengthwise, either nearer to or farther from the center of the machine, but is always kept up to the side of the frame. The position of the block 70 is also capable of adjustment bymeans of set-sorewsss, which work against opposite sides of the projectingpiece of the block 70 in brackets t 2?, attached to the outside of frameA on either side of the slot 0. The other extremity of the diagonal rack-bar E'rests upon a slotted arc, F, placed across the machine, and attached to the side pieces A A of the frame, the bar E being fastened to the arc F by a screw-bolt, m, (which passes through the slot in the arc,) and a nut on the under side. The diagonal rack-bar E may. be set either parallel to the sides of the frame A, or may be placed diagonally across it, with one end on one side-of the frame, and the other end close to the other side of the frame, or at any intermediate angle.

Itis evident that the distancefrom one tooth of the rackE to the next adjacent one, if measured on a line parallel to the sides of the frame A A, is greater when the rack-bar E is parallel to the sides of the frame than when it is placed diagonally across the frame, and that this distance is lengthened or diminished according to the angle at which the rack-bar E is set to the sides of the frame.

As the distance between the holes punched bythemachinein the metal plate depends upon the distance traveled by the rack-table D from one tooth of the rack-bar E to another, it is evident that this distance is increased or diminished by placing the rack-bar more or less nearly parallel with the sides A A of the machine.

The rack-tableD consists of two parallel side pieces, G G, on the under side of which are the V-shaped rails or sides 0, which enter the grooves in the side pieces A A of the frame of the machine. The side pieces G G are connected by cross-bars H H, and on one side is the rack e, which gears into the cog-wheel e, as before described. The frame thus formed may be partially covered by plate-iron, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to give a flat even bearing for the adjustable frame K. Between the side pieces G G is placed the ratchet h, which extends across the frame, so as to engage the rack-teeth t of the diagonal rack E at whatever angle it may be set. The ratchet has two arms, h, bent at right angles to the piece h, which extends across the frame, and is pivoted to the sides G G of the frame at 0 in the middle of the arms 7.. A cam, it, worked by a small crank, 19, is placed over one of the arms h of the ratchet beyond the pivot 0, by which the ratchet may be raised up, so as to be out of the way of the ratchet'teethiof the rack E when it is desired to run the racktable D backward on the machine. When the cam a is not turned so as to raise the ratchet h, it drops down onto the rack-bar E by its own weight, and rises as it passes over the inclined face of each tooth t.

In the middle of the rack-table Dis a rectangular plate, g, which is placed in an opening in the cover ofthe table D, the sides of the open in g in the cover being rabbeted to receive it. The upper surface of the plate q is flush with the upper surface of the rack-table, and the length of the plate q being less than that of the opening made for it in the table, it can be moved sidewise transversely. This motion is effected by means of a screw-shaft, J, which has screw-threads at one end, which take in a female screw or nut in one of the side pieces 1 by the bearings r r, in which the shaft turns,

so that by turning the crank it on the end of the screw-shaft J the sliding plate is moved toward one side or the other of the rack-table D The spiral springs a, surrounding the screw shaft J, press at one end against the bearings r r on the sliding plate, and at their other end against acollar, a", on the screw-shaft J. These springs to u serve to keep the sliding plate steady and prevent its being pushed backward when the machine is in operation.

Fig. 4 represents the plate-holder or adjustable frame on which the sheet or plate of metal which is to be punched is fastened. This frame K is an oblongrectangular casting, somewhat wider than the frame of the machine, but not so long, and in shape resembles bars crossing each other at right angles, with spaces between them. From the underside of this frame proj ects a center-phat, situate midway from either end, but nearer one side of the frame than the other. This pin enters a hole in the upper surface of the sliding plate qof the raclrtable l), by which those parts of the machine are connected together when in operation, so that the frame K not only moves with the raeletable as it is advanced along the frame of the machine, but also turns on the pin '2) as a center, so as to cause the holes in the edge of the boiler-plate to be punched in a curved line.

The plate of metal to be punched is fastened on the adjus'able frame K by means of the angle-plate L, which is placed on top of the plate of metal parallel to the sides of theframe K, with its extremities projecting beyond the sides of the plate. The clamps to w are then placed with one leg over the angle-plate L, and

the other leg under one of the ribs of the frame K, and tightened by the screws 00 m. The plate is fastened onto the frame K with its edge which is to be punched so far over the edge of the frame as to be in reach of the punch a. Attached to the angle-plate L are two angleirons, y y, which are L-shaped in cross-section, the upright or flange being set toward that side of the machine on which the punch is situate. These angle-irons y y are attached to the angle-plateL by straps z 2, having slots in them, and screws 8 8, so that they may be set, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so as to form an obtuse angle, each being inclined at an equal angle, but in opposite directions to the edge of the frame K, and the angle being nearer to the edge of the plate than the outer ends of the angle-irons, or, as in Fig. 7, so as to form an obtuse angle, with the angle farther from the edge of the plate than the ends of the an gle-irons.

On the same side of the frame of the ma chine as that on which the punch a is situate, and attached to the side piece A of the frame, are two upright standards, one on each side of the punch-frame 0. Each standard consists of two posts, a, and a horizontal connecting-bar,

b. The horizontal bars I) are slotted to receive a block, c,which may be adjusted to the required distance from the punch-frame O and fastened by a set-screw. To each of the two blocks 0 is pivoted a slotted arm, cl, from which depends a rod, f, at the lower extre1nity of which is a roller, 9, which turns on its axis on the rod. The rods f may be set at the proper distance from the bar 0 by means of the slot. in the arm (1, and fastened by a nut, i, on the end of the rod f, which projects through the slot above the arm (1. The length of the hanging rods f is such that the roller g! may come in contact with the flange of the angle-iron y at the outer edge of the angleplate L. From the top of the punch-frame O a horizontal arm, N, proj ects horizontally toward the-center of the machine. This arm N is slotted like the arms (1, and has a similar hanging rod, f, with a roller, g, at its lower extremity.

The horizontal arms d d are hinged or pivoted to their blocks 0, so that they may be turned to one side out of the way, as seen in. Fig. 1, because one only of the rollers g is used at a time with the middle roller, g, which is always used when the edge of the plate to be punched is curved. \Vhen the edge of the plate to be punched is straight all three of the rollers g, g, and g may be used at the same time.

The operation of our machine is as follows: The plate to be punched is fastened onto the plate-holder or frame K, as already described, and the diagonal rack-bar E is set at such an angle as to bring as many of its teeth within a distance, measured lengthwise of the machine and parallel to its sides, which shall be equal to the length of the plate to be punched, as the number of holes to be punched. Then, if the holes are to be punched in a straight line, the roller-arms cl (1 are turned outward, so as to be at right angles to the side of. the machine, and all the rollers are set in a line parallel to the side of the machine, and the angle-irons y y are set in a right line parallel to the edge of the frame K. The frame K being set upon the rack-table D, the shaft J is turned until the edge of the flanges of the angle-irons 3 y presses against the rollers g g g. The rack-table is then caused to advance by turning the hand-wheel g, and whenever the ratchet h passes over one of the teeth 45 of the rack-bar E, the hand-wheel is stopped and the punch is depressed, and a hole is punched in the plate. This operation is repeated until all the holes are made.

.As the variation in distance between the teeth t i of the rack-bar E, which can be prod uced by setting the bar E parallel to the sides of the frame A or diagonally across the machine is not great, a set of rack-bars are furnished to each machine, the teeth in each bar being spaced differently from the teeth in the other bars.

If the plate to be punched is to be used for making boilers or other hollow cylinders, the ends of the plate must be curved, as before stated, and one end must be shorter than the other. In order to punch the holes in such a plate on the proper curved line, and at the proper relative distance apart, the machine requires to be separately adjusted for punching each end of the plate. It the longer end of the plate is to he punched, the curve being convex at that end, the angle-irons y y are set, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, at such an angle to each other that the perpendicular line drawn from the angle to abase-line connecting the two extremities of the angle-irons shall be just one-half of the length of the versed sine of the are formed by the edge of the plate. The roller 9 at the forward end of the machine is then turned out of the way, as shown in Fig. 1, and the rack-bar E is set at the proper angle to make the required number of holes in the edge of the plate.

The plate being properly adjusted on the frame K, and the an gle-irons pressed up against the rollers g and g, the side roller, 9, being at the angle of the angle-irons y y, and the center roller, 9, being at the forward end of the angle-plate y, the machine is operated as before, punching a hole every time that the ratchet h passes over one of the teeth 1'. Although the rack-table D travels forward in a straight line, the frame K, being attach ed to it only by the center-pin 'v, is easily turned, its motion being determined by the angle at which the angle-irons y y are set; and as the angle formed by the angle-irons is situate between the two rollers g and g, and the surfaces along which the rollers pass are not parallel to each other, the frame K will move in a curved path, just such as is required for the edge of the plate.

As soon as the rack-table D has advanced so far as to bring the center roller, 9, to the angle of the angle-plate, the other side roller, g, at the forward end of the machine, is brought into use, and the frame K is shifted round so far as to cause the angle-iron to press against it, instead of against the roller at the rear end of the machine. When this is done it becomes necessary to shift the adjustable block 70 by means of the screw-rod l and set-screws s s, and to draw the rack-table back a little, because otherwise the change in the position of the frame K relatively to the rack-table would throw the punch out of position, owing to the fact that, although the center roller, 9", is at the angle of the angle-plate L, and equidistant from each end of the frame K, yet the centerpin 1*, on which the frame turns, is not directly under the punch, butto one side of it.

This adjustment having been made,the operation is continued until the convex edge of the plate is punched with the requisite number of holes. The crank 19 is now turned and the ratchet h raised, and the rack-table run backward, so as to commence the operation on the other end of the plate. The plate, being removed from the frame K by loosening the clamps w, is turned round, so as to present the small end of the plate to the punch; but as the angle-irons were set to punch in a convex curved line, they require to be altered in order to operate on'a concave curved line. therefore reversed, as shown in Fig. 7, and set with the angle farther from the edge of the frame than the end of the angle irons, the perpendicular of the angle being equal to onehalf of the versed sine of the are at the smaller end of the plate. The diagonal rack-bar E is also readj usted,-being placed diagonally across the machine at such an angle as to cause the machine to punch as many holes at the small end of the plate as were before punched at the larger end. The operation is then repeated as before, the frame K being shifted in its centerpin a as soon as the center roller, g, reaches the angle of the angle-irons, and the block it adjusted for the purpose before stated.

Having thus described the construction and operation of our machine, what we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent, is-

1. The combination of the adjustable diagonal rack E with the rack-table D and its ratchet h, for the purpose of regulating and varying at pleasure the length of each separate movement of the rack-table.

2. The combination of the rack-table D and the turning frame K, attached thereto by a pivot, for the purpose of producing a curvilinear movement.

3. The combination of the rack-table D and frame K, pivoted thereto, with the adjustable angle-plate L and rollers g g, or other similarly arranged bearin g surfaces, constructed substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. In combination with the devices specified in the third claim, the slide q, with screw J and spiral springs a, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, for the purpose of pressing the frame K against the rollers.

In testimony whereof we, the said JAMES RITER and LEVI J. FARQUHAR, have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES M. RITER. LEVI J. FARQUHAR. Witnesses:

W. D. LEWIS, A. S. NIcHoLsoN.

They are 

